How Weekends Cause Weight Gain

5 Reasons the Weekend Is Expanding Your Waistline

The weekend is almost here, and for many, it means two days off to take a break from work and do whatever you want. Go ahead and let loose a little! Just be mindful of the choices you make because they could undo the healthy good you've done all week long, adding unwanted pounds to the scale. If your shorts are fitting a little more snug than usual, here are some reasons the weekend could be the culprit.

Wahoo, It's Friday!
What a crazy week! If it was exceptionally stressful with early meetings, deadlines, and late nights, you definitely deserve to celebrate come Friday night. You hit your favorite bar with friends, the drinks start flowing, the appetizers are ordered, and before you know it, you've consumed tons of cosmos and cheesy-covered fried bites. All that letting loose is good for the soul, but not good for your waistline. Friday night should definitely be about rewarding your hard work; just don't go overboard.

Sure, I'll Have Another
Everyone seems to be kicking back a few drinks, and it's easy to get roped into a night of drinking when your friends keep ordering round after round. Depending on the beverage you're sipping on, they range from 100 to more than 400 calories a glass. Those liquid calories really start to add up, especially if you go out both Friday and Saturday night (and maybe even kick back a few more at your friend's Sunday BBQ). Stick to the "one drink a day rule." It'll not only help limit calories, but getting a little tipsy is sure to lower your defenses and make you say yes to foods you normally wouldn't, which means even more extra calories consumed.

Continue reading for three more reasons the weekend can lead to weight gain.

Reservations
What's a weekend without a dinner out? You get to dress up, try new foods you'd never dream of cooking in your kitchen, and best of all, there are no dishes to clean. If this is your one night out, you do it right by ordering a bottle of wine, a couple appetizers, an amazing meal, and end with a decadent dessert. Going all out every once in a while is OK, but if you make a habit of it, it's no wonder you're gaining weight. Dinners out are a great way to spend a weekend evening, just make a few small changes so you can enjoy yourself without overdoing it on the calorie front. Here are some calorie-saving tricks to bring along when you head out to dinner.

Dancing Makes Me Hungry
After shaking your booty for three hours straight, by the time you step outside the club at 1 or 2 a.m., you're starving! Of course the only places that are typically open late-night are pizzerias, fast food joints, and diners. Because you're so hungry, you go for the quickest (and usually not-so-healthy) food you can get your hands on, and inhale a monstrous portion in no time. Dancing is definitely like a workout, so treat it like one and fuel up with a healthy post-workout snack. It's easy to pack some trail mix, a Larabar, or some whole-grain crackers in your purse. It may not be as exciting as a slice of pepperoni pizza with extra cheese, but you'll sure feel better afterward.

Ahh, Relax
You make time in your schedule Monday through Friday to hit the gym, so when Saturday rolls around, all you want to do is chill instead of sweating it out. Working out on the weekends not only helps burn extra weekend calories from a cocktail party or enormous brunch, but it also helps you stay on a regular workout schedule, which makes it much easier to lace up your sneaks come Monday. Find ways to look forward to weekend workouts either by making them shorter so they seem more doable, inviting a friend to join you, getting outside to do something fun like paddleboard yoga, or take a class you normally don't have time for during the week.